Although they didn't compete at the Phuket Open, Brazil’s Taiana Lima/Talita Antunes continue to lead the women's season rankings

Lausanne, Switzerland, November 4, 2013 – Latvia and Brazil continue to lead the 2013 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Beach Volleyball season rankings. With the men’s competition idle last week while the women competed in Phuket, Thailand, the season is drawing to a close with federation events and one double-gender FIVB Open event remaining on Dec. 11-15 in Durban, South Africa.

On the international stage, the 10 FIVB World Tour Grand Slams, the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships and three of four FIVB Opens have been contested as teams from around the globe finish the first year of a new Olympic cycle leading up to the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil. Part of the numerous initiatives of the new FIVB administration, the FIVB Season Rankings include FIVB World Tour/FIVB Open events along with approved Confederation, and National Federation points according to section 9.3 of the FIVB Handbook.

The first women’s-only and third FIVB Open event on the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball international calendar was held this past week in Phuket, Thailand. Two teams appearing in finals in an FIVB event together for the first met for the gold medal with China’s Xinyi Xia/Chen Xue defeating Emily Day/Summer Ross of the United States in twin sets. It was the first FIVB event title for the sixteen-year old Xia and the 16th for Chen Xue, who were playing just their second FIVB event together after finishing 9th the previous week in the FIVB Xiamen Grand Slam In Xiamen, China. Day and Ross, who were playing their seventh FIVB event together, had a previous best finish of fourth at the Long Beach, US Grand Slam in July.

Continuing to lead the 2013 FIVB Season Rankings are Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins for the men and Brazil’s Taiana Lima/Talita Antunes for the women.

In the updated FIVB women’s beach volleyball competition, Brazil’s Lima/Antunes are out front with 7,210 points. Brazilian sisters Carolina Salgado/Maria Salgado moved into second place in the season ranking with 6,500 points after their bronze medal win in Phuket. Now third is Germany’s Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler, Germany, (6,474) while fourth through sixth-place currently are: Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst, (6,092), Brazil’s Maria Antonelli/Agatha Bednarczuk (6,090) and Spain’s Elsa Baquerizo/Liliana Fernandez, (5,352).

Two teams from beach volleyball superpower Brazil remain at the top of the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour/FIVB Open leader board heading into the final FIVB Open event of the season. Continuing to on top in the men’s FIVB World Tour/FIVB Open season point standings is Brazil’s new team ofSalgado/Schmidt while continuing to lead the women’s FIVB World Tour/FIVB Open competition is another new Brazilian team in Lima/Antunes.

Through the final grand slam in China, Brazil’s Salgado/Schmidt have collected 6,740 points on the 2013 FIVB World Tour/FIVB Opens and their lead overLatvia’s second-place Samoilovs/J. Smedins is 200 points (6,540). Third isBrazil’s Ricardo/Filho (5,730) with USA’s Gibb/Patterson (5,610) in fourth place and Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paulo Nicolai sit in fifth place (5,590). In the men’sseason earnings race, Brazil’s Salgado/Schmidt tandem lead with $182,775.Latvia’s Samoilovs/J. Smedins is in second with $175,200 followed by Brazil’sRicardo/Filho with $153,900 and. All three of the top teams are playing in their first full season together and Ricardo didn’t play one tournament because of an injury.

In 2013 FIVB women’s international competition, Brazil’s Lima/Antunes duo has been superlative and continues to lead the 2013 FIVB World Tour/FIVB Opens with 7,210 points and $229,000 in earnings. Brazilian Salgado sisters are second with with 6,500 points and $155,000 in earnings. Brazil’s Antonelli/Bednarczuk team is third in points with 6,090 and fifth in earnings with $124,375 while Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler duo is fourth in points with 5,920 and third in money with $125,600. Fifth in points with 5,400 is Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst tandem who are also fourth in earnings ($125,200).

Statistically in FIVB men’s international competition, Brazil’s Salgado/Schmidt duo has a 54-17 match record so far for a 76.1% winning percentage, third highest on the FIVB World Tour/FIVB Opens. Based on winning percentage to date for FIVB World Tour and FIVB Open events, USA’s Sean Rosenthal/Phil Dalhausser duo remain first at 81.8% (36-8), followed by Latvia’s Samoilovs/J. Smedins at 79.4% (54-14), and Brazil’s Salgado/Schmidt. At number four isItaly’s Nicolai/Lupo at 73.4% (47-17), while fifth is USA’s Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson tandem at 70.5% (43-18).

In this year’s women’s FIVB World Tour/FIVB Open play, Brazil’s Lima/Antunes duo has the second highest winning percentage at 85.9% (61-10) as China’sXue/Zhang have played in four of 12 events this year and have an amazing 92.6% (25-2) to lead. Third is Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler at 75.0% (51-17), followed by Brazil’s Salgado sisters at 74.0% (57-20) and Brazil’sAntonelli/Bednarczk at 73.7% (56-20).

On the FIVB women’s international season scorecard, Brazil’s Antunes/Lima (Shanghai, The Hague, Rome, Long Beach, Berlin) have a remarkable five gold medals while China’s Chen Xue/Xi Zhang team has won three gold medals in four tournaments this year (Fuzhou, Stare Jablonki, Gstaad), USA’s A. Ross/Walsh Jennings duo has won two straight (São Paulo, Xiamen) whileBrazil’s Salgado sisters (Moscow), China’s Xia/Xue, Netherlands’ van Gestel/Meppelink (Corrientes), Russia’s Ekaterina Khomyakova/Evgeniya Ukolova (Anapa) each has one gold medal.

Click here for the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Season UpdateClick here for the men’s beach volleyball season rankingsClick here for the women’s beach volleyball season rankings